Courts in NCR Plus bubble, other MECQ areas to remain physically closed

MANILA, Philippines — Courts in the so-called National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble and other areas that are also under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) will remain closed physically, Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo said on Wednesday.

In Administrative Circular No. 22-2021, Gesmundo said that courts in areas under MECQ could operate through videoconferencing without seeking permission from the Office of the Court Administrator.

Aside from NCR Plus — which is composed of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal — the provinces of Abra and Quirino and Santiago City in Isabela are also under MECQ due to a high number of COVID-19 cases.

“All physically closed courts in areas under ECQ and MECQ may be reached through the listed Judiciary hotlines and email addresses as posted in the Supreme Court website,” Gesmundo said in the circular.

“The courts in these areas shall continue to operate through videoconferencing as far as practicable. Judges may conduct fully remote videoconferencing hearings on pending cases and other matters, whether urgent or not, regardless of their physical location and without proper permission from the Office of the Court Administrator,” he added.

According to Gesmundo, filing and the service of pleadings are temporarily suspended, and will resume after seven calendar days once courts physically open.

“The essential judicial offices shall maintain the necessary skeleton staff to attend to all urgent matters,” he noted.

The country is still dealing with a surge in COVID-19 cases. As of Wednesday, the total number of active cases nationwide stood at 173,047, after the Department of Health recorded an additional 8,122 infections.

In terms of hospital occupancy in Metro Manila, 88% of intensive care unit beds are in use Also, 65% of isolation beds are occupied, as well as 65% of beds in COVID-19 wards.

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